War Without Reason : The First Battle

Chapter VII: Mud River - Camp Frost

"Bad dreams again?" Saint asked, standing over Ren.

"Whaa?" he replied sleepily.

The three - Renner, Saint and John - were given the watch again. They were taking turns sleeping, while the other two kept watch. Renner's turn was just cut short abruptly.

"You were screaming, one of the wolf ones again?" Saint asked in a concerned voice.

Renner shot a look at John, who was already asleep. He was the only one Ren had disclosed his dreams with.

"Oh spare the lad, I got him to tell me," Saint said with a proud look of self-satisfaction.

"'Course you did," he said as he got up slowly. The heat from the day had carried on well into the night that day. The bonfire was kept to a minimum, just enough to see each other. The stars were still there, twinkling. He was thankful for that much.

He had made sure to not be alone for the past two days. He couldn't trust himself that much. The battle and his lost fight had broken him. It instilled a deep sense of humiliation and inexplicable rage in him that hadn't lost its fire; much unlike their bonfire which fizzled out again.

"Okay, that's the third time since you slept. It's going fully up this time. So what, we sweat a little," Saint muttered as he reignited the bonfire.

Five minutes later, a sweat-drenched Saint reduced the flame again and settled down. "You haven't answered my question yet," Saint said as he wiped his brow.

"No, it was that damned Hero again," Ren replied through his clenched teeth.

"Ah good," Saint said, almost relieved.

"Good?" his teeth clenched harder.

"Yes, good. I was always worried about you, you were too soft. This certain thing you're going through has been very reassuring to me. You may survive after all. You're finally seeing this war like how normal people do... Like me," Saint said, grinning.

"I am not like you! I don't know what you're yappin' bout," he lied. Oh crap, that can't be true. I need to get it together, and soon!

"Aw, come on. I've seen you these past two days. Snappin' at people for no reason - mostly poor John; the newfound agility during training... Do I need to go on?" Saint triumphantly said. Anyone who saw him then would have thought he had achieved some great feet.

Ren groaned. "Alright, we don't need to talk about that. I understand," Saint said.

"There's nothing to talk abo-", he started.

"Yes! We don't need to talk about that very much present thing," Saint said louder over Renner. "Oh, cause I got something better. So much better. Our dear old Jony here, is still a virgin!"

"Yea, I knew that," Ren replied in a dead tone.

"You knew?!" Saint's enthusiasm went down a bit. "Okay, but - but do you know what else he has been doing all these Mating days that's gone by?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

Mating day came after every battle. The women would select men and take them to their tent. Soldiers who achieved some big feat in the battle were allowed to pick a woman themselves. Women, if it was an even bigger feat.

"Listened to old tales from the woman," Renner said with a shrug of his shoulders, driving the enthusiasm out of Saint again.

"Yes! And you knew and didn't tell me?! Ugh. It was to stop me from laughing that he told me about your weird wolf dreams," Saint said, chuckling lightly again, with a look of defeat and disappointment.